The invention which is the subject of this application is an improved and effective use of magnetic means within a toy, said toy being adapted, and shaped, to be attractive to a specific target audience within the general heading of “children”. It should therefore be appreciated that the invention as herein described will have a number of different applications and purposes in relation to toys and therefore, although the invention is described with regard to a number of different forms of toys, these in themselves should not be interpreted as being a limiting factor in the interpretation of the scope of the invention.
The use of magnets and/or magnetically attractive material within toys to provide a particular effect in that the toy is well known and indeed, the applicant has a number of granted and pending applications which relate to inventive and novel uses of magnetic material. In the current application, the applicant provides a yet further inventive and novel application of use of magnets and/or magnetic material in the manner as will now be described.
Conventionally, when providing a drive force to a particular item in a toy, there is a need to provide a power source and a motor. The motor, typically provides rotational movement, and is linked either directly to the portion of the toy to be moved or linked via a gear mechanism and/or other drive translation means.
Typically therefore the drive means for a movable portion is provided within the article itself and so, if there is required to be provided a number of articles which can be used in conjunction to form the toy, each of the articles is provided with a drive means assembly. While there have been significant improvements to drive motors, and power sources for the same, the provision of a drive means assembly is still relatively expensive in comparison to the cost of the remainder of the toy and therefore, while it may be desired to provide drive to all or the majority of the articles in a toy, it is frequently the case that the number of articles which have moving portions is limited or restricted due to the cost implications of providing drive means in each of said articles.
The aim of the present invention is to provide a drive force for a number of articles of a toy which means that when the articles are used in conjunction, movement can be imparted from one drive means assembly provided in one of said articles. By achieving this, so the number of drive means which are required to be provided does not need to match the number of articles in which movement is required thereby allowing a reduction in the cost of the article and the toy as a whole while ensuring that the movement is provided as required. This arrangement can also be utilised to provide an unusual and unexpected affect for the child playing with the toy as the article or articles may appear to be moving without any visible or discernible drive source.
In a first aspect of the invention there is provided a toy, said toy including at least two articles, a first article including a drive means assembly therein, said drive means assembly connected to move at least one magnet or a portion of magnetically attractive material at said article, the second article including at least one or magnetically attractive material positioned to allow magnetic attraction between the magnet and magnetically attractive material in the two articles when the articles are brought within a given range characterised in that when there is magnetic attraction, movement of the magnet or magnetically attractive material in one article, causes a change in condition of the said other articles via the movement of the magnet or magnetically attractive material in the other article.
The change in condition can, for example, be a movement of a portion of the article or the completion of a power circuit to cause a power supply to be provided.
Typically, the drive means assembly includes a motor and a power source which can be electronic, or a clockwork mechanism for example. The drive means assembly may be provided to generate movement of the magnet or magnetically attractive material directly or via a gear mechanism of at least one portion in said first article.
In one embodiment the magnet or magnetically attractive material in the said other article, is provided in connection, either directly or via a gearing mechanism with a portion which is movable in said other article.
In an alternative arrangement, the drive means assembly of the first article does not move or change condition of any portion of the said first article but rather acts only as a drive means for said other article(s) via movement of the magnetically attracted magnet or magnetically attractive material in the respective articles.
In one embodiment, the drive means assembly can be provided to provide a moving magnet or magnetically attractive material at a number of locations on said article via linkages at a number of locations such that, when another article or articles is/are positioned in proximity of any of said locations, the movement force can be transferred to said other article.
In one embodiment, the gear mechanism between the drive assembly and the magnet or magnetically attractive material on the first article and/or the gear assembly between the magnet or magnetically attractive material and a movable portion on said other article, can be such so as to alter the torque and/or extent of movement created.
A significant improvement of this application is that the magnetic field between the first and second magnets or magnetic material is transferred at a relatively high speed which means that the torque required for the transfer to be achieved is relatively low. It also means that with suitable gearing at the recipient article of the magnetic transfer the torque can be increased and the speed of rotation slowed down so as to provide the required movement effect at the required movement speed.
In one embodiment, the article within which the drive means assembly is provided is designated as a power source and a range of said other articles can be provided, each of said other articles being provided with a movable portion and/or other change of condition component and a magnet or magnetically attractive material to allow the movement from the power source article to be imparted to the particular selected further article which is brought into proximity with the same. Typically, each of said other articles includes a movable portion but the movable portions differ from article to article thereby allowing a range of different movements to be imparted and allowing the opportunity for selection to be made by the child playing with the toy.
In one embodiment, the drive means assembly in the first article is linked to a number of locations at which there is supplied a magnet or magnetically attractive material which is provided to move under the influence of the drive means and a number of other articles are provided to be selectively positioned with respect to said first article at said locations thereby allowing, firstly, the user the option to choose and position said other articles as and when they require and also for said movement to be transferred to said other article.
In one embodiment, a movement effect is provided which is linked to the appearance of said first or further article and/or the location of said further article with respect to the first article.
In one embodiment drive means assembly includes a drive control means which is movable between engaged and disengaged positions, at least the movement in one in one of the directions typically caused by the influence of the magnetic attraction between the two articles.